Not a lot going on

Hello again and how are you? I've had a pretty quiet time with not too much going on. I've been busy with the crocheting as I'm trying to get the blanket, which I've called the Karina blanket, finished in time for Christmas as I'm going to give it to my eldest grandson's girlfriend.

I had a good week last week for walking. I walked on my own and recce'd my longer walk on Tuesday - just on 7 miles. Walked with the group on Wednesday; 8 miles from Great Denham to Bromham and back. Unfortunately, after the first hour it rained solidly! On Thursday, I walked with my friend Lynn from the food bank and we walked 8 miles; I slightly changed the route I want to take when I lead this longer walk for the Ramblers and this new route was better and just under 8 miles. Phew! Job done. Now I'll just keep walking the routes until I can do them blindfolded - and in reverse. That's the true test of knowing where you're going...

                                                        All jewellery charity shopped.

This was Tuesday's outfit. Everything charity shopped except the boots. Tunic from Primarni; 2.00 in The Childrens' Society last year; cardigan Tu; 1.00 rail Barnardo's. Leggings bought in Store 21 sale for 5.00 a few years back. Still haven't found any black leggings yet...

Scarf charity shopped recently.

 I lost my watch in the house somewhere (you can see the outline of it on my arm above!) and was lost without it. I have 7 watches, 4 of which were gifts and the other three from charity shops, but only one with a working battery! It costs between £4 and £5.00 to have batteries put in watches but I do need to get some put in urgently. I've tried putting in my own batteries in in the past using the batteries from the Poundshop, but they don't last...

This was Thursday's outfit:

All jewellery charity shopped

Jeans; John Rocha for M&S; Top; Next, Cardigan: Mystify all charity shopped.

Boots; Christmas present from daughter. I bought the alstromerias flowers from Lidl. They lasted for three weeks!

 Our expected visitors cancelled their visit to us for Saturday and are coming in December instead which meant I had a free Saturday. I had a lovely lie-in as I had stayed up till 3.45 am the night before to finish my library book; 'Lethal White' by Robert Galbraith AKA J.K. Rowling author of the Harry Potter books. This book is the fourth  in the Cormoran Strike series and very good it was too. I ran some errands in town and then went for a rummage to Great Denham and the Cat's Protection League in Kempston.

Look what I found there!  I asked if they had any wool and the Manager said she had a bagful at the back and would I like to look. So I did, and then picking up vibes from her that she wished to be rid of the wool, I asked if she could do me a deal for the whole lot - all this wool for 8.00! I was so pleased. Of course the whole point of crocheting my current blanket is a stash busting project to reduce the amount of wool I already have -  and then I go and buy all this. But you can't look a gift horse in the mouth as my mum used to say...

Saturday's outfit.

These trousers were from the sale rail in Barnardos in St. Neots last weekend - 49p. The cardigan came from the Sally Army and was 5.00. It's an Italian label. The lace top came from a sale rail somewhere last year.

Beetle crushers charity shopped in Wellingborough about three or four years ago.

All jewellery charity shopped.

Outerwear. Hilary sent me the beautiful paisley scarf. Embroidered wool cardigan bought in the Donkey Sanctuary charity shop in Ballyboffey, Co. Donegal. It has sequins and beads sewn into the embroidery as well.

I went to my son's on Sunday. I wore my new maxi dress. I wish I had put my hands in my pockets so you can see them; they're not very obvious in these photos. Everything charity shopped except the boots - online retail.

Roman jacket; 1.00 rail in Age UK, Wellingborough about three or four years ago. Dress bought in St. Neot's two weekends ago for 5.49.

All jewellery charity shopped.

I was watching 'Only Connect' on Monday (BBC 4) and one of the clues on the 'Wall' part of the programme was about different types of pen. One of the four types of pen was the 'dip' pen which the presenter, Victoria Coren, had to explain to the participants! I used a dip pen at primary school when we did Italic handwriting. I don't know why we were taught Italic handwriting but we were and we used lined paper; dip pens, inkwells and ink. If you were lucky you got to be ink monitor. It's times like this when I feel my age... and when I see the age of Oscar or award winning actors and/or musicians and realise I'm old enough to be their mum... and when I remember having no other form of home heating except coal fires and paraffin heaters.

I took three of my watches to the watch battery van in town on Monday and got new batteries. Cost 13.50. Oh well, at least I have four watches that work now!

My daughter took this photo of me (on her camera phone) and youngest grandson losing his money in the arcade in Eastbourne where we went at half term.

The size of this photo has just reminded that a few weeks ago my photos on the blog began to shrink. I always select the X large size for my photo on Blogger but no matter what I did the photos came out smaller than they used to. I nearly always use my camera phone for photos and they used all to be the size of the one above - the one my daughter took - we have the same phone. Now despite using the same camera phone and selecting the same size; the photos are smaller. Does anyone know why? And if so, what can I do about it? I've tried checking settings etc but to no avail.

Pattern mixing and monochrome. Everything charity shopped. Trousers and lace top both from Next. Italian cardigan bought in the Salvation Army for 5.00 a week or so ago. Boots charity shopped in Oxfam, I think.

Scarf charity shopped; 1.00.

All jewellery charity shopped except earrings; Sainsbury's.

On Tuesday, I volunteered at the Food Bank as usual. There are now so many donations of food we are having trouble storing it all!

In the afternoon I combined some errands in town and a walk of 3.5 miles. One of the places I stopped at was the Reuse Centre.   The Reuse Centre has two premises; one is a charity shop which I pop into frequently and the other usually sells furniture only which I visit less frequently.  I visited this one on Tuesday and saw a queue of about 40 people; men, women and children queuing for -  food! This Reuse Centre now receives donations of perishable food from shops, cafes, restaurants and supermarkets and gives them to the needy. I saw a lot of bread, fresh fruit and vegetables. I was both shocked and horrified. I don't know why. I know there is a soup run on a Saturday afternoon in Bedford and homeless people in particular make use of it, but I think it was the sight of women queuing with children and buggies. It reminded me of news items where they feature disaster areas and people are queuing for aid. It is disgraceful that in the 21st century in a market town in the sixth biggest (richest?) economy in the world people have to queue for food because they can't afford to buy it. Why? Because of the number of people living in poverty, who are homeless or are the casualties of Universal Credit this charity now distributes perishable food to needy people on these premises.

I didn't walk with the group on Wednesday; I didn't want to get up so early. I did go walking on my own and walked my new route again. It was a bright, sunny day and cool, but lovely for walking. I walked just over 7 miles.

More monochrome and pattern matching. This was Thursday's outfit. I often stay in my walking gear on days when I walk...

All jewellery charity shopped.

Everything charity shopped. I bought the boots in Barnardo's in Great Denham earlier this year when it was too warm to wear them. They are very comfortable.

My daughter dislocated her shoulder playing netball and can't drive so I became a taxi service! It brings back memories of when my children were younger and I used to ferry them about to sports fixtures, friend's houses and when they got older parties and raves...

OH was just taking this photo when our weekend visitors arrived. Everything including jewellery charity shopped with the exception of the boots which were bought from Sainsburys as few years ago. The plaid skirt is pleated and was 49p from Barnardo's in Ampthill. Waistcoat by Zara but can't remember where I bought it or the green top.

I only went rummaging once last week. I took stuff to the charity shop in Great Denham and picked up two items from the sale rail at 79 p each; a sleeveless jumper and a pair of black jeans. Then when I was running errands on Tuesday I walked the long way home via the Children's Society shop where I picked up the navy blue coat  (see below) by 'The White Stuff; for 10.00.

Our friends L and B from Leeds spent the weekend with us. We had a lovely time and enjoyed showing them around our town and some of our lovely countryside. We ate  out on Friday evening and on Saturday we went for a walk along the River Great Ouse. Here we are on the newest bridge in town just setting out on our walk.

Everything charity shopped except boots - on line retail.

The weather has turned very cold here this week. Wherever you are stay warm!